Electrical ignition system for gas stoves



Aug. 27, 1940. F. A. CAMP ELECTRICAL IGNITION SYSTEM FOR GAS STOVES Filed Feb. 19, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fred H. Damp i @li I 42 3% Aug. 27, 1940.

F. A. CAMP 2,212,375

ELECTRICAL IGNITION SYSTEM FOR GAS STOVES Filed Feb. 19, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jigs amen 0'0 Fred A Camp Patented Aug. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL IGNITION SYSTEM FOR GAS STOVES Application February 19, 1938, Serial No. 191,474

3 Claims.

This invention relates to electrical ignition systems for gas stoves.

The general purpose of the invention is to provide a .simple, efiective and economical elec- 6 trical ignition system for gas stoves.

Heretofore, it has been proposed to provide gas stoves with electrical ignition systems but so far these have not been entirely satisfactory and have not gone into general use.

W One purpose of the present invention is to provide in combination with the usual top burners of a gas-stove, flash-back ignition tubes extending to a central chamber and electrical ignition means in said central chamber for causing a combustible mixture of gas and air coming from a burner through the flashback to become ignited and thus ignite the gas at the burner.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide automatic valve actuated means at the gas con- 20 trol valves for the burners whereby the gas issuing from any burner of the gas stove including the oven burner or burners may be effec- ,tively ignited without aiiecting the normal opera- 1 tion of the control valve to supply any desired flow of gas to vary the heat and flame between a minimum and maximum.

Another purposeof the invention is to provide av plurality of control valves for the usual top burners and automatic switches controlled 30 thereby whereby a single igniter atthe central chamber may be actuated by operation of any one of said valves.

. The foregoing and other purposes of the invention are attained in the system illustrated in 35 the accompanying drawings and described below. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific form thereof shown and described.

or the accompanying drawings:

an Figure l is a plan view partly broken away and in section of a gas stove embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a part sectional plan at the rear of the oven burner compartment.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Figure l, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged section on line -il of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral it des- 50 ignates a gas stove of a known type and in which is mounted the usual top burners I i l i and oven burner i2. The burners H are arranged to be controlled by valves 13, I3 on the usual header l4 and controlling flow of gas to the usual supply 66 lines ii), iii.

A valve [6, similar to valves l3, on header i4 is connected by a supply line H to oven burner l 2.

Associated with burners H are flash-back tubes l8, l8, the outer ends of which are associated with outlets l9, l9 from burners H whereby when 6 gas is supplied to a burner I I it will flow inwardly through a flash-back tube through an outlet l9. The tubes l8 extend to a common central chamber' 20 in which is arranged an ignitor 2|. This may be of any suitable type and comprise an 10 outer electrode 2 l an inner electrode 2 l extending beyond the end of the outer electrode and formed with an enlarged head, as shown, and an intervening insulating tube 2l causing a spark gap measured by the distance from the head of the inner electrode 2| to the end of outer electrode Zi Leads 22, 22 may be extended to the ignitor 2| through a conduit 23. Chamber 2! may be provided with an outlet 24 for gases of combustion formed in chamber 2|. The igni- -tor is, in effect, a spark plug and does not in its detail form any part of the present invention. The oven burner I2 is preferably formed at its rear with an upwardly and rearwardly directed flash-back tube 25 with an open end at 25 at 25 which is arranged an ignitor 26 similar to ignitor .26 and to which leads are extended through a :oonduit 27.

The supply of a sparking current for ignition purposes to the burners H and I2 may be provided by a unit 28 suitably secured on the back of the stove and arranged to be connected by a flexible conductor cord 29 to a source of electricity such as a house lighting and power circuit. Unit 28 may contain a vibrator and transformer as will be understood by skilled artisans and the high tension side of the transformer will be connected to the ignitors 2i and 26 through valve switches to be described associated with valves 13, these switches being in parallel in the circuit ii) to the ignitor 2t and a similar switch associated with valve 16 and in series with the ignitor 28 and the high tension side of the transformer in unit 23.

The switches associated with valves and it may be identical. ihe valve body may have thereon a post 38 on which is mounted and secured by nut it, a switch unit comprising two conductors 32 and 33 enclosed by outer insulation blocks 34 and 35 and an intermediate insulating block 36 for supporting the conductors 32 and 33 in spaced electrically insulated relation. Leads 37, 31 from the unit 28 may be connected respectively to said conductors in the switch wardly and establish electrical contact at 40 closing the switch.

The switch is adapted to be actuated by the valve by providing a sleeve 42 around the usual rotary valve stem 43 and connected with the valve operating knob or handle 44 in which sleeve 42 is an arcuate slot 45 through which extends a valve-operating arm 46 which is connected with valve stem 43. A tension spring 41 is connected to arm 46 and to an arm b8 secured on. sleeve 42 which permits a yielding relative turning movement between sleeve 42 and the valve stem as determined by the arcuate length of slot 45.

The arrangement of arms 46 and 48 and slot 45 is such that when knob 44 is turned clockwise the parts will be in the relative positions shown in full lines at the left of Figure 4, the valve being fully closed to cut oil gas to a burner. Upon turning knob 44 counter-clockwise, sleeve 42 turns first without any effect on the valve stem against the'action of spring 4'! until the right end of slot 45 engages arm 46, thereafter valve stem 43 turning with sleeve 42, opens the valve. The parts are so arranged that arm 46 may be moved suiiiciently fully to open the valve in this manner. At the limit of such opening movement arm 48 will engage pin 4| and press it upwardly to close the switch contacts 40 thus establishing an arcing current at the burner ignitor. Upon thereafter releasing knob 44, the spring 41 will cause sleeve 42 to turn clockwise on the valve stem 43, thus disengaging arm 48 from the switch, disconnecting current to the ignitor. The burner will now be operating with maximum flame and heat. If it is desired to adjust the valve to produce a lesser flame and heat, this may be done as will be understood by merely turning valve knob 44 clockwise to the desired adjustment. The operation of the switch does not afiect the operation of the valve between maximum and minimum positions, the yielding connection permitting movement of the switch actuator beyond movement of the valve stem to actuate the switch and then automati- Modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a gas stove a combined valve and electrical ignition switch structure, said structure comprising a rotary valve stem, a sleeve relatively rotatable thereon, said stem having an arm thereon, said sleeve having a slot through which said arm extends and limiting relative rotation of said sleeve on said stem, switch contacts sup ported on the valve body, an arm on said sleeve for operating said switch contacts, a valve and switch operating handle connected to said sleeve and yielding means normally holding said switchoperating arm in a retracted position out of engagement with the switch when the valve is fully opened, said yielding means permitting operation means including an element connected to said' valve for operating the same, a second element yieldingly connected to the first element and manually operable fully to open said valve and simultaneously with the full opening of the valve to engage and actuate said switch to operate the ignition means, the second element upon manual release thereof being yieldingly moved out of cooperative engagement with said switch to disconnect said ignition means, said second element being manually operable, either partially or wholly, to close said valve to adjust said burner as required without affecting said switch.

3. The combination in a gas stove of one or more burners and one or more flash-back ignition tubes associated therewith of an electrical ignitor associated with said' flash-back tubes to ignite gas issuing therefrom and means for supplying an arcing current to said ignitor, said means including valves controlling said burners and automatic switches associated with said valves,

said valves including manually operable elements yieldingly connected to the same whereby the valves are operable to fully open positions, said elements and said switches operably associated whereby a switch is simultaneously operated by an element when a valve is fully opened, said element being yieldingly disengaged from said switch to disconnect said ignitor upon manual release of said element, said element being operable to close or partially close said valve to adjust a burner as desired.

FRED A. CAMP. 

